The Privilege Walk

This past week in school, another principal in my district came to my school to lead a diversity awareness activity I'd participated in before in grad school, but this one was a little different.

For those who may not know, the privilege walk involves a facilitator giving series of statements and individuals responding non-verbally by stepping forward or backward, or in the one I did in grad school, we crossed a room in response to the prompts.

The one we did at school this week was much more powerful for me. Though the statements were similar or often times the same, crossing a room did not have as much of an impact on me as having everyone begin at the same point and then need to step forward or backward based on the prompts.

I really had an "aha" moment with this one - how can we expect children to make it to the finish line if they're not even allowed to begin at the same starting line?

I was, predictably, toward the front of the room having been given many privileges. My parents told me I could be anything I wanted. I had way more than 50 books in my home. I never had to go hungry, I studied the culture of my ancestors in elementary school, I went to summer camp and I never had to adjust my mannerisms because of my race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. I graduated from undergrad with zero college debt except for what I stupidly ran up myself on credit cards. I have been very privileged and perhaps a little spoiled.

I just keep having the visual in my head with success being the finish line and seeing kids being pushed back further and further away from the starting line but still being expected to make it without someone helping them get to at least the same spot other kids may be.

I'm still trying to process all of this and what I can do to help my students get to the starting line so they can really take off and get where they want to and need to be.

We're taking the kiddos to the Aronoff Center on Tuesday. Providing these experiences that I simply took for granted I think is a start.

A Tour Down Memory Lane

I rarely go back to my hometown of Lebanon, IN. My 10-year High School Reunion was the last occasion I have really been for any length of time. I pretty much went to college, came back for the summer between my freshman and sophomore years and that was it. My mom doesn't live there any more and aside from the visits with my two aunts who live there (which, I am sorry to say are too few and far between), I just haven't felt compelled to go. No offense to my friends that call Lebanon home, it just wasn't for me.

This past weekend however, we had a Westerfield Family Reunion at Memorial Park and when Mom told me about it on Friday I said SURE! Most of my mom's family I haven't seen in ages and Z has never been to Lebanon in her short 3 years of life.

I got to Lebanon a few minutes before we were due to be at the park so Z and I took the grand tour and got some photos of some of my favorite places -

Coming into Lebanon - this is the first exit, out by the Boone County Fairgrounds. Many a 4-H project was entered by yours truly.

This is the front porch of the first house I lived in on Main St. I loved playing on that porch! We had one of those wooden porch swings I remember fondly. We lived there until the summer before Kindergarten.

This is the house we moved into right before Kindergarten. This is the one thing that made me very sad on my visit. This was a great house with awesome trees, including some planted by yours truly and they're mostly gone. The house just looked so run down. The rock is still there by the mailbox though!

This is our house on Washington St. where I spent my high school years. Our band director lived one street over so many many Fridays before band competitions were spent at my house before we snuck over to do something to the outside of his house. Don't worry, we always went back on Sundays to clean it up.

My elementary school which looks pretty much the same. Central stars!

My high school (yes, I skipped visiting the Middle School. Middle School just sucked) which looks pretty much the same from this angle as it did when my parents went there in the 60's.

Alright, there are more photos, but it's taking too many steps to get them where I want them here. Check out the mobile me gallery to see the rest!

New Kitty!

Meet Cici - (we're guessing her name stands for Calico Cat, aren't we clever to figure that out? LOL)

We recently lost our kitty Peanut and I was on Petfinder looking for a new friend for us and for our other kitty Marmalade. I got in contact with a local rescue -

Animal Rescue Art Project

Gail and Robin were at Petsmart in Mason yesterday afternoon and they had this beautiful girl with them. She is so sweet! I've never had a calico before and I'm so happy we chose a one year old cat instead of a kitten. Cici is very loving and after a brief sniff around the house, was on our laps like she'd lived here forever.

Welcome to the family Cici!

Giving up the binky

The binky fairy has come to our house. Z turned 3 right before we went on vacation and we'd told her for a couple of months now that when she was 3, she'd be a big girl and the binky fairy would come to our house and take her binkies and give them to the new babies. Chris' cousin is pregnant and Z got to see her about a month ago and my friend A2 has a new baby she has frequent contact with. The fairy would bring her a big girl toy that babies couldn't have to say thank you for giving her binkies to the babies.

Z was excited! She had picked out this Cinderella doll with a magic wand that made music when you waved the wand in front of Cinderella's necklace. Two of her favorite things - music and princess! She picked out the basket we would put all her binkies in, actually put them in all by herself and helped to set the basket out on the front porch. She said "bye bye binkies!" and waved goodbye and went back into the house.

I went to "check the sprinkler" and placed the doll into the basket, removing the binkies and putting them in my car. A few minutes after I came in, we went to see if the fairy had come and voila! Z's face lit up! Her Cinderella came! She was delighted!

Until it was time to actually go to sleep.

Poor kid was heartbroken. Really. Her binky had been her nap/bed time only friend since she was about a year and a half.

It took all I had NOT to go down to the car and give her a binky. Zoe can definitely throw a fit and has had her share of "I WANT IT" moments but this was "my friend is gone and I am devastated." And forget Cinderella. She represented what Z wanted that was now gone. She said she didn't want to be a big girl and wanted the fairy to bring her binkies back.

So here we are on night 4 sans binky. She's not napped any of those days and I stayed with her the first 2 until she fell asleep. She didn't want anyone to stay with her last night and she cried herself to sleep. Broke my heart.

I know this is what's best for her. She probably had it about 1 year too long but I think I wasn't ready to get rid of this last vestige of my baby being a baby. Last summer we got rid of the crib and the diaper, this summer is binky. I just need to tough it out along with Z. She's not crying right now. I hope she's discovering a way to self-soothe that doesn't involve her binky.

Now, the B? Nope. She can hang on to that.

The little flower on my camera!

I follow a blog of a very nice woman in Michigan - she's a step-mom, loves photography, technology and has two adorable daughters! Except for the two daughters part, we have a lot in common!

She recently posted about the little flower on the settings for her camera and I love the photos she took! Who knew about that little close up thing? Well, professional photographers, maybe. I was delighted! I went outside and tried it on my newly bloomed lilies!

I need to play some more with the lighting but how fun! Thanks @sarahinmi!

Vacation!

We have had our first road trip vacation and survived (almost - we still have to drive home)!!!!

The kids have had fun I think - lots of swimming, beaches, flamingoes, tropical birds and alligators.

Just a few pics to share for now -

Chris' Web Gallery

My dainty princess

Today is Z's birthday. 3 years ago right now I was staring in wonder at my very tiny but perfect little girl.

Should I continue the Parsons' tradition of sharing the birth story on the birthday? Sure!

I'd been on bed rest for about 10 days in the hospital. Modified home bed rest (you know how well I follow directions) at the beginning of May which turned into full bed rest at home (again, I can do "one" load of laundry, can't I?) at the end of May and then full hospital bed rest the middle of June. My original due date was July 29th. Ugh. I guess I should have listened to the medical professionals, eh?

So, I can only get up to go potty or shower. Bet your butt I showered every single day! And being 7 almost 8 months pregnant, I had to pee a lot. I made it through several seasons of CSI, CSI Miami and got addicted to Desperate Housewives during this time. Thank goodness for wireless internet, too!

So, my blood pressure kept rising and it finally stayed too elevated and the doctor said we were going to induce me at 35 weeks. Cervadil was put in place and I was also given a happy sleeping pill. Little did I know this would be the last good night's sleep I'd have for a VERY long time!

Sunday morning, June 25th about 7:30 I was taken to labor and delivery. Doc said it would probably take a VERY long time since I was only dilated about 1 cm. Pitosin given via IV and epidural started. Water broke on it's own.

I didn't know how low at the time, but Z's heart rate would take a significant dip each time I had a contraction. Finally about 2:45 Dr. LeMaster's decided to do a c-section because Z just wasn't tolerating the labor. Since she'd be a preemie anyway, we didn't want to take any chances.

3:07 pm Z was born. I wish I'd been able to see - can't wear your glasses during an operation - but they brought her close to my face after they cleaned her up a bit. She had little perfect little face, skinny red limbs, long fingers and toes. Only weighing in at 5 lbs. 4.8 oz., she was so small!

Fortunately, I'd been given steroid shots and her lungs were great and she was able to stay with us the first night in the hospital. No NICU! :-)

She's definitely the best thing that I've ever done. She's a pretty cool kid.

I do have to post, along with this, how she fell asleep yesterday in her new princess dress from Mamaw and tiara watching Little Mermaid received from Uncle Mikey and Aunt Krista for her birthday,

Happy birthday my sweet girl!